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Massachusetts Treasurer Steve Grossman, a Democrat running for governor, speaks to the students at UMass Amherst on April 23, 2014. He held a lengthy question-and-answer session with students there following a morning of campaigning on campus.
(Republican Photo / Robert Rizzuto)

Introduced by State Sen. Stan Rosenberg, an Amherst Democrat who endorsed the gubernatorial candidate early in his campaign, Grossman was described as someone who's beliefs and values are a good match for the commonwealth.

"My earlier experience with him was as a change agent with the Democratic Party at the state and national level," Rosenberg said of Grossman. "A very solid guy with fundamental values consistent with what this university and community is all about."

Grossman took to the front of the room to applause, and began courting the curious college students, pointing out the young staffers running his campaign, offering that there is always room for eager volunteers with any campaign. But Grossman quickly shifted to tell some of his back story before turning the mic on the students.

He first asked them what they thought are the biggest roadblocks the commonwealth is facing and how they would tackle them. One eager student said the amount of debt he and his peers are racking up for attending college is the main issue on his mind.

State Sen. Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst, introduces Treasurer Steve Grossman to the crowd of UMass Amherst students on Wednesday, April 23, 2014. Rosenberg, a friend of Grossman's who is supporting his gubernatorial bid, spent the day campaigning with him in Western Massachusetts. Republican Photo / Robert Rizzuto

"How do we deal with the issue of so many students drowning in debt?" Grossman asked in response. "Freezing fees and tuition are a good start. I'd like to freeze them for the next four years to give students and their parents a break."

Grossman also discussed his proposals to grant loan forgiveness for those who pledge to teach for at least five years in the commonwealth's Gateway cities, or serve as a doctor in a rural area.

Another student asked Grossman if he would increase funding for education to reduce the burden student's face in terms of tuition, and the treasurer said that higher education is indeed underfunded, but added that to increase funding for anything, a serious conversation has to be had about how to raise additional revenue or what else to cut.

"I'm not going to sit here and tell you I have a source of funding for that. The best way to raise revenue is to grow the economy," Grossman said.

"But I'll never take revenue off the table," he added, in referencing the possibility of raising taxes.

This prompted the next question about the commonwealth's flat tax policy, in which everyone pays the same percent of income rather than one scaled to income. A UMass professor said she wanted to know where Grossman stood on the possibility of changing that.

The treasurer recounted the process by which the Tax Fairness Commission appointed the Massachusetts Legislature has come to recommend changes to the tax code by which those who earn more would pay more in taxes to reduce the burden to middle and low-income families.

"This can't be a policy handed down by a leader, or the governor," Grossman said. "It has to come from the people based on consensus."

Another student asked Grossman questions about the state's pension system which he oversees as treasurer and its earnings reports. The two sparred somewhat over characterizations as to the overall health of the system, but the back-and-forth ended as Grossman handed the young man his business card as he left the room to make it to his next class.

Another student asked Grossman how the state can help bridge the gap between the high-tech jobs in the eastern part of the state and the people in the west who are looking for employment. Grossman cited the need to increase transportation options and frequency as well as overall infrastructure improvements which would make the western part of the state more attractive to entrepreneurs and small technology companies.

Another person in the crowd asked Grossman what he would do as governor to help protect the commonwealth's adjunct professors who "often work in unsecured positions" and are "underpaid," compared to their tenured colleagues.

Grossman said the issue is a complicated one but it comes down to being able to make additional investments in the faculty as well as the students. He said if annual giving from alumni increased to where it should, it would help but not solve the issue on its own.

Grossman is one of five Democrats, two independents and one Republican running for governor in Massachusetts. The primary is to be held on Sept. 9 with the general election coming on Nov. 4.